NEW YORK | Grand Central Madison (East Side Access)

9 Likes
7 Likes
6 Likes

Can’t wait for this to be finally finished.

1 Like

The amount of money spent on this thing didn’t make sense pre-pandemic, and now it’s twice as bad.

1 Like

On the contrary, this is one of the most important U.S. transit projects built in the U.S. in generations. Probably at least since WW2.

East Side Access provides a direct rail connection to the largest and most important business district on the planet. It should have been completed decades ago, but finally wrapping up.

4 Likes

I disagree, this is just the cost to build projects like this these days.

Cars are dying and we need to bring the world into the 21st century.

3 Likes

It’s the cost here and that’s why we can’t build anything. The second leg of the second ave. subway is now budgeted for more than $6 billion for 1.5 miles of track, much of which is already dug. The first leg cost 5 times what a similar project in Paris cost.

1 Like

Thats because places like Paris actually support public projects that benefit society at large, not individual pocketbooks. In this country we have one party that try’s to derail any government project before it even gets off the ground, which leads to delays and cost over runs. I’ve seen it 100’s of times.

1 Like

I get your point but only about 1/3 of the tunnel has been dug, mainly around the housing projects.

1 Like

I also don’t think that Paris is sitting on anything like Manhattan schist which must be much more difficult to bore through and therefore more expensive. Although I do agree that building costs are crazy in NYC. The unions have a lot to do with that.

1 Like

It’s not the schist, but it doesn’t really even matter what the causes are because unless they can make meaningful cost reductions for building infrastructure, US cities are never going to be able to make the kinds of improvements other world cities do. Paris is building something like 125 new miles of track - New York is doing about 2% of that. I’m not saying East Side Access isn’t a useful project - just that it’s not worth the cost. This is an argument for another thread or forum, so I’ll drop it at this point.

1 Like

Here you go.
Eat your heart out.

2 Likes

About 3 weeks ago. An overview

2 Likes
3 Likes

Around 5 or so months left until it opens completely. Can’t wait

2 Likes

$11B for East Side Access and London is building a 90 mph 62 mile long train line for $25B?

Proposed timetables will be released this week for service to “Grand Central Madison”, as the LIRR part of Grand Central will be called.

Press release doesn’t say anything about what will happen to the western Queens stations (Hunterspoint Avenue and Long Island City), but Brooklyn service will not be limited to Barclays-Jamaica shuttles.

In Brooklyn, trains will run approximately every 12 minutes in both directions during peak hours and every 20 minutes during off-peak hours for an overall 28 percent increase in daily trains. Every train will make stops at Nostrand Avenue and East New York. Most Brooklyn trains will originate and terminate at Jamaica using the new Platform F, but the LIRR will retain some through service with peak and off-peak trains on the West Hempstead Branch and peak trains on the Babylon and Hempstead Branches. Most customers on the Far Rockaway and Hempstead Branches, whose trains currently primarily serve Brooklyn, will now have direct service to Manhattan all day.

3 Likes

LIRR Service to the East Side of Manhattan Remains on Target to Begin This Year

Opening of Terminal to Enable Era-Defining LIRR Service Increases of 40 Percent, Enhance Reverse-Commuting, Off-Peak and Discretionary Travel and Decongest Penn Station

Proposed Timetables Are First Comprehensive Schedule Rewrite in Decades; Include Significant Improvements in Reverse Commute and Off-Peak Service

Sub Headline

Around 4-5 months left until the opening.

3 Likes
1 Like